Friday, July 29, 2011
Laying on of hands
Frank: We are safely ensconced at Del Monte RV Park in Woodbridge, VA, aka my brother Greg’s backyard. We have full hookups, cable TV and secure WiFi, it’s wonderful. Yesterday’s trip from New York to Virginia was a difficult day, a 5 hour trip took 9 hours just because of the heavy traffic and a slight detour in Baltimore when the BIB tried to send us through a tunnel that didn’t allow propane bottles.
Today I went with brothers, Guy and Kim, to Guy Jr’s house and helped Guy Jr. get Guy Sr.’s 1970 Triumph Chopper running. Guy Sr. had given the bike to Guy Jr. a couple months ago and Guy Jr. has completely restored the bike (which was actually in very good condition anyway as it was stored inside for the last 30 years). Guy Jr. had gone through the carbs and set the points, but the bike just wouldn’t start. So, it was perfect timing when I arrived to go over and see if I could help.
The following is true and I have video tape to prove it. I pulled the pilot jets and blew them out, checked the gap on the points, looked over all the wiring for loose connections, slightly adjusted the carb cables, and then kneeled down next to the bike. I put my head down next to the engine, ran my hands over the engine, over the tank, down the sides of the bike along the mufflers, gently caressed the headlight and front forks, all the while humming Ohmmmmmmm. Then, I straddled the bike, turned on the petcocks, tickled the carbs, and honest to God, kicked it one time and it started! The continuing saga of Frank’s motorcycle magic has been reaffirmed once again in front of three witnesses and on video recording taken by brother, Kim. And, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!
While I was away, Cheryl and Greg’s wife, Betty, busied themselves with making new black-out curtains for the trailer to replace the ones that fell apart in the wash on the day before we left Phoenix when I suggested that we should wash them before leaving, much to my chagrin. Who would have thought that the dryer would have actually melted the backing on the old ones that Cheryl had spent so many hours making when we first got the trailer. These news ones sure are nice!
That’s good for today. The brothers are gathering for dinner tomorrow night, we’re going boating on Sunday and we’ll blog some more later. By the way, Cleo and Peanut are having an absolute ball playing with Angel, Greg and Betty’s little poodle. They chase each other around the house, leaping from furniture and hiding under the coffee table. They’re two tuckered puppies tonight.
Love,
The bike whisperer, seamstress par excellance, and two very happy puppies
Today I went with brothers, Guy and Kim, to Guy Jr’s house and helped Guy Jr. get Guy Sr.’s 1970 Triumph Chopper running. Guy Sr. had given the bike to Guy Jr. a couple months ago and Guy Jr. has completely restored the bike (which was actually in very good condition anyway as it was stored inside for the last 30 years). Guy Jr. had gone through the carbs and set the points, but the bike just wouldn’t start. So, it was perfect timing when I arrived to go over and see if I could help.
The following is true and I have video tape to prove it. I pulled the pilot jets and blew them out, checked the gap on the points, looked over all the wiring for loose connections, slightly adjusted the carb cables, and then kneeled down next to the bike. I put my head down next to the engine, ran my hands over the engine, over the tank, down the sides of the bike along the mufflers, gently caressed the headlight and front forks, all the while humming Ohmmmmmmm. Then, I straddled the bike, turned on the petcocks, tickled the carbs, and honest to God, kicked it one time and it started! The continuing saga of Frank’s motorcycle magic has been reaffirmed once again in front of three witnesses and on video recording taken by brother, Kim. And, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!
While I was away, Cheryl and Greg’s wife, Betty, busied themselves with making new black-out curtains for the trailer to replace the ones that fell apart in the wash on the day before we left Phoenix when I suggested that we should wash them before leaving, much to my chagrin. Who would have thought that the dryer would have actually melted the backing on the old ones that Cheryl had spent so many hours making when we first got the trailer. These news ones sure are nice!
That’s good for today. The brothers are gathering for dinner tomorrow night, we’re going boating on Sunday and we’ll blog some more later. By the way, Cleo and Peanut are having an absolute ball playing with Angel, Greg and Betty’s little poodle. They chase each other around the house, leaping from furniture and hiding under the coffee table. They’re two tuckered puppies tonight.
Love,
The bike whisperer, seamstress par excellance, and two very happy puppies
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Goodbye Maine, Hello New York, Tomorrow Virginia!
Cheryl: This morning (Wednesday) we reluctantly bid adieu to Sea Vu and the bold Atlantic. It had rained all night so the whole place looked washed down and sparkling clean in the morning light. Yesterday a young couple came to look at our site because they had their money down on our site for today. We told them what a good spot we’d found it to be and wished them well. Guess we couldn’t have stayed another day even if we’d begged.
Today we rode the big highways and avoided the back roads through the little towns. Toll roads aren’t the most popular with us, but I was tired of twisting and turning through the woods all day long. I prevailed upon Frank to take the big roads, and he cheerfully complied. There were some spectacular views of forests and low mountains as we passed part way through New York State after traversing Massachusetts and Connecticut and finally landing at a place called Plattskill. Frank will elaborate on the town naming conventions around these parts. Right now he’s dressing up the stove top with some white enamel that makes it look just like new. It’s sort of like his bonsai tree exercise, a stress reliever of sorts, macho style.
Other than stopping a couple of times at rest stops, we made good time and landed here in time to fix a nice dinner and get the laundry washed, dried, and put away. Frank bought a movie (DVD) for tonight and some ice for our drinks. I’m in for a shower, and then we’re relaxing for the rest of the evening. I’ll let him tell you about the fire truck here at the KOA and about the nice place this turned out to be tucked away in the woods.
Frank: Yeah, the stove top is my own little fetish. I really like the burners to be bright aluminum and the top cover to be pure enamel white. I feel the cover is supposed to be used to cover up the burners for aesthetic purposes. Cheryl feels that it is supposed to be a work surface for setting pots and pans and whatever else she’s using at any given moment. She’s right of course, it is just a work surface, but I like to keep it as pristine as possible so I keep a small bottle of touch-up paint and regularly fill in all the small nicks and scrapes.
Ah yes, about the fire truck. It’s really nice. It is an old LaFrance unit and it is in great shape. The campground built seats in the back and they give the kids in the park rides all around the camping area.
As Cheryl said, we’re in New York the land of the maximum $75.00 fill up. All the stations in New Hampshire and New York shut off the pumps at $75.00 so I can’t get a full tank of gas. I guess I could use a second credit card (the pumps won’t accept the same card twice) but cutting me off at $75 p’s me off so much I refuse to use the second card just so the stupid station can get more of my money. I just paraphrase the line from the movie “Airplane” over and over in my mind, “Chump don’t want my money, Chump don’t get my money!”
Last year I made a derogatory comment about Cricket cell phones in the blog and the next day I received an email from a Cricket Customer Representative asking me what the problem was. That told me that large companies must monitor blogs for their own names so in hopes that GARMIN is scanning blogs I gotta say that GARMIN needs to add some features to their NUVI GPS units. GARMIN needs to add a vehicle class selection that will allow the user to describe the vehicle they are driving so automobiles and trucks pulling campers (and for goodness sakes, big Class A RV’s) are not assumed to be the same size and all sent down the same small rural highways and back roads. Also, GARMIN needs to add some selections such as “Large Roads Preferred” or “Small Roads Preferred” to the screen where we select “Fasted Time” or “Shortest Distance” because as it is both selections have sent us down small, nasty, windy roads when there were perfectly good mid-sized highways that ran almost perfectly parallel to the roads we were on. Especially in New Hampshire! And for goodness sakes, GARMIN NEEDS to put a Mute Button on the screen so we can shut the BIB up when we decide to pull off for gas or food. It shouldn’t take three screens to shut her up!
Cheryl and I have become KOA fans. I used to swear off them because they are very family oriented and have a lot of kids using a lot of features that we don’t need for ourselves and I didn’t like paying for. The KOA’s do cost about $10.00 more per night but I’ve come to realize it is $10 well spent. The “Kamps” are always neat and clean, the folks running them are professional and friendly, the sites are level with working utilities and the WiFi usually works. I like the consistency of the KOA’s and don’t miss the showing up at an RV Park that looked like God’s gift to RV’ing on the web site and then turns out to be Farkleville when we pulled in. Consistency is good. Farkle is bad. It’s as simple as that.
One last thought: “kill” must mean the same as “burg”, or “ville” when it comes to naming towns up here. We’ve run across “Catskill”, “Peekskill”, “Plattekill”, “Flatskill”, and “Farkleskill”. (OK, I made that last one up.) But no matter what, there are a bunch of “kills” up here so it must have come from somewhere. “Nuff said because I really don’t care one way or another.
Love,
Frank, Cheryl, Peanut and Cleo
Today we rode the big highways and avoided the back roads through the little towns. Toll roads aren’t the most popular with us, but I was tired of twisting and turning through the woods all day long. I prevailed upon Frank to take the big roads, and he cheerfully complied. There were some spectacular views of forests and low mountains as we passed part way through New York State after traversing Massachusetts and Connecticut and finally landing at a place called Plattskill. Frank will elaborate on the town naming conventions around these parts. Right now he’s dressing up the stove top with some white enamel that makes it look just like new. It’s sort of like his bonsai tree exercise, a stress reliever of sorts, macho style.
Other than stopping a couple of times at rest stops, we made good time and landed here in time to fix a nice dinner and get the laundry washed, dried, and put away. Frank bought a movie (DVD) for tonight and some ice for our drinks. I’m in for a shower, and then we’re relaxing for the rest of the evening. I’ll let him tell you about the fire truck here at the KOA and about the nice place this turned out to be tucked away in the woods.
Frank: Yeah, the stove top is my own little fetish. I really like the burners to be bright aluminum and the top cover to be pure enamel white. I feel the cover is supposed to be used to cover up the burners for aesthetic purposes. Cheryl feels that it is supposed to be a work surface for setting pots and pans and whatever else she’s using at any given moment. She’s right of course, it is just a work surface, but I like to keep it as pristine as possible so I keep a small bottle of touch-up paint and regularly fill in all the small nicks and scrapes.
Ah yes, about the fire truck. It’s really nice. It is an old LaFrance unit and it is in great shape. The campground built seats in the back and they give the kids in the park rides all around the camping area.
As Cheryl said, we’re in New York the land of the maximum $75.00 fill up. All the stations in New Hampshire and New York shut off the pumps at $75.00 so I can’t get a full tank of gas. I guess I could use a second credit card (the pumps won’t accept the same card twice) but cutting me off at $75 p’s me off so much I refuse to use the second card just so the stupid station can get more of my money. I just paraphrase the line from the movie “Airplane” over and over in my mind, “Chump don’t want my money, Chump don’t get my money!”
Last year I made a derogatory comment about Cricket cell phones in the blog and the next day I received an email from a Cricket Customer Representative asking me what the problem was. That told me that large companies must monitor blogs for their own names so in hopes that GARMIN is scanning blogs I gotta say that GARMIN needs to add some features to their NUVI GPS units. GARMIN needs to add a vehicle class selection that will allow the user to describe the vehicle they are driving so automobiles and trucks pulling campers (and for goodness sakes, big Class A RV’s) are not assumed to be the same size and all sent down the same small rural highways and back roads. Also, GARMIN needs to add some selections such as “Large Roads Preferred” or “Small Roads Preferred” to the screen where we select “Fasted Time” or “Shortest Distance” because as it is both selections have sent us down small, nasty, windy roads when there were perfectly good mid-sized highways that ran almost perfectly parallel to the roads we were on. Especially in New Hampshire! And for goodness sakes, GARMIN NEEDS to put a Mute Button on the screen so we can shut the BIB up when we decide to pull off for gas or food. It shouldn’t take three screens to shut her up!
Cheryl and I have become KOA fans. I used to swear off them because they are very family oriented and have a lot of kids using a lot of features that we don’t need for ourselves and I didn’t like paying for. The KOA’s do cost about $10.00 more per night but I’ve come to realize it is $10 well spent. The “Kamps” are always neat and clean, the folks running them are professional and friendly, the sites are level with working utilities and the WiFi usually works. I like the consistency of the KOA’s and don’t miss the showing up at an RV Park that looked like God’s gift to RV’ing on the web site and then turns out to be Farkleville when we pulled in. Consistency is good. Farkle is bad. It’s as simple as that.
One last thought: “kill” must mean the same as “burg”, or “ville” when it comes to naming towns up here. We’ve run across “Catskill”, “Peekskill”, “Plattekill”, “Flatskill”, and “Farkleskill”. (OK, I made that last one up.) But no matter what, there are a bunch of “kills” up here so it must have come from somewhere. “Nuff said because I really don’t care one way or another.
Love,
Frank, Cheryl, Peanut and Cleo
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
We visit George & Barbara Bush
Frank: Today’s down day of reading and relaxing in the trailer while listening to the gentle patter of rain on the roof didn’t happen because the expected storm didn’t happen. Apparently they rescheduled it for tonight because the same dire warnings are all over the TV channels and I can hear thunder right now and Peanut just ran into the bathroom and jumped into the tub. That’s his hiding place when loud noises happen.
So instead of relaxing we drove over to Kennebunkport and drove out along Ocean Drive and saw George H. W. Bush’s house which is actually a well secured compound on a peninsula that juts out into the ocean. After taking some photos from a convenient pull-over parking area that is probably just a coincidence (not) we drove past the entrance to the compound which has a stone guardhouse and had a black Chevy Suburban parked across the drive behind the gate.
Later we drove the opposite direction to York, Maine and saw the Nubble Light House, which we were told by an expert on such things (a total stranger in the RV Park) is the most photographed Light House in the world. Or maybe he said, “in America.” Or maybe “Maine”. Whatever, there were a lot of people there with cameras so I took a few shots and then we hit the souvenir shop. Also, while there I saw some seals on some rocks in the distance so I pointed them out to Cheryl and she looked real hard and said “one of your seals just spread his wings.” I looked again and realized the “seals” were actually really ugly big black birds. They may be Puffins as there are a few business in York named the Puffin this, and the Puffin that. Who knows. Who cares.
One last thought for today. As we drove through Wells, and Kennebunkport, and York, in traffic that moved slower than the thousands of pedestrians whose main pleasure is crossing the street, I got to thinking about beach towns. We had walked around in Ogunquit last evening and tried to shop but couldn’t find anything we needed or wanted. The problem is that once you’ve visited a beach town you’ve pretty much visited all beach towns and we’ve visited lots of beach towns over the years. We finally decided that beach towns are where you shop in funky shops for funky stuff that you buy, and display, and treasure, and store, and then sell at a yard sale. So other than our “been there” pins and a few good photos, we have nothing to show for our stay here. (Cheryl: We have memories, you big dummy!) Oh, yeah.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Trolleys, a mansion and sandy feet.
Well, here we are, still firmly ensconced at Sea Vu RV Park. (No sea view, but what the heck). I hate to admit it but I really like this place, and I really like Maine.We took a day today and went to visit the Seashore Trolley Museum here in Wells, (www.TrolleyMuseum.org) and the Victoria Mansion in Portland. The trolley museum is better than you might imagine. They have several dozen trolleys from all over the US and even a dozen or so from other countries dating back to horse drawn and up to modern electric “trackless trolleys” (aka: electric busses). We actually had a good time there and it included a 15 mile ride on a nicely restored open trolley.
The Victoria Mansion (www.VictoriaMansion.org) was both impressive and depressing. It is supposed to be of “Italian” design but to us it felt very Gothic. The dark and foreboding house was built in 1858-60 as a summer home for Mr. Ruggles Sylvester Morse who had made his fortune by building luxury hotels in New Orleans and wanted everyone up here to truly understand how rich he was. He had a lot of features included in the design because they were more expensive than the normal way of doing things. For example he had all the walls painted to look like they were covered with silk because it cost more than covering them with silk.
We had a good “BIB” experience today. The Garmin has a feature where you can ask it to list restaurants near your location. Today it listed “Becky’s Diner” just a few blocks from the mansion so we drove down and around and gave it a try. It struck us as one of those places that when you mention to someone that you were in Portland they would always say, “So, did you eat at Becky’s?” The food was great, the place is strikingly spotless, and the wait staff was friendly as heck. It was so jammed with locals that we ate at the counter and it didn’t detract from the experience at all.
This evening we drove over to Ogunquit Beach and Cheryl got her feet wet and sandy with right coast water. Now I can say I’ve dipped her into both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. We also spent some time walking around the small town visiting funky (expensive) shops. We finally found a souvenir shop that sold cheap Chinese junk and found our Maine “been there” pin. So now I can head south with a feeling of mission accomplished. However we are staying here another day before we strike out south for two reasons: 1. I like it here because there are no Farkles to be found, and 2. it’s supposed to rain tomorrow and the thought of spending a rainy day just sitting around reading and listening to the patter of water on the roof sounds really inviting.
Love to all,
Conductor Cheryl, Brakeman Frank, and passengers Peanut and Cleo
Sunday, July 24, 2011
By the Sea Vu, By the Sea Vu, By the Beautiful Sea Vu
Cheryl: You and me, You and me, Oh, how happy we’ll be. I’m happiest when I’m near water, and this afternoon we pulled in to the lovely Sea Vu RV Resort in Wells, Maine, and snagged their last available RV slot. We’re here for two days, maybe three and this place fronts on a wonderful marsh where you can see all kinds of water fowl, and beyond the marsh is a big harbor full of moored boats that opens on to the big blue Atlantic Ocean! We’ve left the extreme heat, humidity and mosquitoes behind in New York and New Hampshire. Here there is an ocean breeze full of the taste of salt and the temperature isn’t more than 80 degrees. Man, this is da place!
We understand from our friend, Pete, in New Hampshire that the crowd from Boston, MA, uses Maine as their getaway place and from all the Massachusetts license plates here, I believe it. We had to pull into our slot between two big trees and the space was fairly narrow. The people here are so friendly and came running to help us guide the trailer through the trees. Then, two of the guys came into the trailer to take a look at the Norton. I talked to a lady from MA who spends the summers here, and she said she and her husband never run out of things to do around here like driving up Ocean Blvd. to get a look at the Bush’s place or swinging around the corner to eat at one of two great restaurants. Anyway, we are now investigating what else there is to do and see around here to keep us busy for the next two or three days. By the way, we’re very near Kennebunkport.
I forgot to tell you that yesterday we stopped in a little Vermont town called Black River and ate at place called Pot Belly Joe’s where I had the best bruschetta ever! The place was quaint with broad wood beams and big fans on poles blowing the hot air around. We forget that not every place out east has or before this has even needed air conditioning. That’s the second restaurant we’ve found that didn’t have air, the other was in New York, and we didn’t even stay and eat. I’m glad we braved the heat and stayed at Pot Belly Joe’s.
This morning we set off from Sandy Beach RV Park south of Farmington, NH, and headed off to see our friend Pete who lives in a civil war era house, about 150 years old. He and his first wife began the as-yet unfinished restoration of the house, but since then Pete has been occupied with his career as an Air Force KC-135 Tanker pilot among other interests. He used to race Norton motorcycles in his younger days, but now his garage houses a silver Corvette. He is semi-retired like Frank and spends his time making beautiful cases for antique shotguns. Right now he’s building a case for a double Flintlock shotgun that dates to the early 1800s. Anyway, we had an interesting visit with Pete looking at the workmanship on the rifles he owns, his incredible gun safe that weighs at least a ton, his shop, and of course his Corvette. We stayed at Pete’s for a couple of hours and then took off for Maine with a hand-drawn map he made for us. We were a bit tired of following the “BIB” after her false leads yesterday. Oh yes, Pete was telling me about a guy who was on American Idol, David Cook, I think. Anyway, he has some great music out that I’ll try to find on ITunes. One song in particular he said reminded him of me and my little journey in the RV without Frank a few years ago. It goes something like, “When I find me, I’ll come back to you.” On that “note,” I’ll turn you over to Frank for his side of the “story.”
Frank: Pete and I agreed that we need to keep getting together every 20 to 25 years or so. Anyway, this is a very nice RV Park. Quite POSH (Port Out, Starboard Home). Quite Expensive. (Don’t tell Cheryl.) Lots of Class A’s, C’s, and 5th Wheelers. I think we lowered the average value of this little cul-de-sac by half when I pulled in here. I’ve stayed in RV spots that are “pull-throughs”, and I’ve stayed in RV spots that are “back-ins”, but this is the first time I’ve stayed in a “drive-through” spot. It’s sorta like a pull through in that you drive in, unhook the trailer and then drive around and park next to it. The trouble getting in was that I had to make a sharp right turn off a very narrow “street” into the spot and at the same time put the whole rig between two huge trees. Frankly I didn’t swing q-u-i-t-e wide enough and it took me, Cheryl and three neighbors to help be back up, jockey to the side, and then re-swing the turn. The guy who is camping directly across from us said he’s been here long enough to watch three rigs park in this spot and all three had the same trouble, so I’m pleased to be part of a long tradition. Anyway, I signed us in for two days and then thought we might stay a third day but when I went to the office and scarfed up some “local attraction” flyers I’m not sure there’s enough for us to do here for three days, no matter what the lady next door says.
BTW, today, while in Concord I asked a guy, “Where is the Concord Bridge where the Minute Man fired ‘the shot heard ‘round the world.’” He said for me to turn right, go to the end of town, turn left and then drive 65 miles directly south to Concord, Massachusetts, and I can’t miss it. Darn, I woulda SWORN it was in Concord, New Hampshire. Also BTW, I found out that “Concord” is pronounced “Con-kerd” up here. It seems that “Concord” was the name of a supersonic airplane, and Con-kerd is the name of a town. Sorta like “Prescott” and “Preskit” I guess
That’s it I guess. Except that I still have nightmares about turning the rig around that big-ass tree at the bottom of that ^%$*!#* dirt hill yesterday.
Heave Ho Ye Landlubbers,
Captain Hook, Wendy, Peter Pan, and Tinkerbelle.
We understand from our friend, Pete, in New Hampshire that the crowd from Boston, MA, uses Maine as their getaway place and from all the Massachusetts license plates here, I believe it. We had to pull into our slot between two big trees and the space was fairly narrow. The people here are so friendly and came running to help us guide the trailer through the trees. Then, two of the guys came into the trailer to take a look at the Norton. I talked to a lady from MA who spends the summers here, and she said she and her husband never run out of things to do around here like driving up Ocean Blvd. to get a look at the Bush’s place or swinging around the corner to eat at one of two great restaurants. Anyway, we are now investigating what else there is to do and see around here to keep us busy for the next two or three days. By the way, we’re very near Kennebunkport.
I forgot to tell you that yesterday we stopped in a little Vermont town called Black River and ate at place called Pot Belly Joe’s where I had the best bruschetta ever! The place was quaint with broad wood beams and big fans on poles blowing the hot air around. We forget that not every place out east has or before this has even needed air conditioning. That’s the second restaurant we’ve found that didn’t have air, the other was in New York, and we didn’t even stay and eat. I’m glad we braved the heat and stayed at Pot Belly Joe’s.
This morning we set off from Sandy Beach RV Park south of Farmington, NH, and headed off to see our friend Pete who lives in a civil war era house, about 150 years old. He and his first wife began the as-yet unfinished restoration of the house, but since then Pete has been occupied with his career as an Air Force KC-135 Tanker pilot among other interests. He used to race Norton motorcycles in his younger days, but now his garage houses a silver Corvette. He is semi-retired like Frank and spends his time making beautiful cases for antique shotguns. Right now he’s building a case for a double Flintlock shotgun that dates to the early 1800s. Anyway, we had an interesting visit with Pete looking at the workmanship on the rifles he owns, his incredible gun safe that weighs at least a ton, his shop, and of course his Corvette. We stayed at Pete’s for a couple of hours and then took off for Maine with a hand-drawn map he made for us. We were a bit tired of following the “BIB” after her false leads yesterday. Oh yes, Pete was telling me about a guy who was on American Idol, David Cook, I think. Anyway, he has some great music out that I’ll try to find on ITunes. One song in particular he said reminded him of me and my little journey in the RV without Frank a few years ago. It goes something like, “When I find me, I’ll come back to you.” On that “note,” I’ll turn you over to Frank for his side of the “story.”
Frank: Pete and I agreed that we need to keep getting together every 20 to 25 years or so. Anyway, this is a very nice RV Park. Quite POSH (Port Out, Starboard Home). Quite Expensive. (Don’t tell Cheryl.) Lots of Class A’s, C’s, and 5th Wheelers. I think we lowered the average value of this little cul-de-sac by half when I pulled in here. I’ve stayed in RV spots that are “pull-throughs”, and I’ve stayed in RV spots that are “back-ins”, but this is the first time I’ve stayed in a “drive-through” spot. It’s sorta like a pull through in that you drive in, unhook the trailer and then drive around and park next to it. The trouble getting in was that I had to make a sharp right turn off a very narrow “street” into the spot and at the same time put the whole rig between two huge trees. Frankly I didn’t swing q-u-i-t-e wide enough and it took me, Cheryl and three neighbors to help be back up, jockey to the side, and then re-swing the turn. The guy who is camping directly across from us said he’s been here long enough to watch three rigs park in this spot and all three had the same trouble, so I’m pleased to be part of a long tradition. Anyway, I signed us in for two days and then thought we might stay a third day but when I went to the office and scarfed up some “local attraction” flyers I’m not sure there’s enough for us to do here for three days, no matter what the lady next door says.
BTW, today, while in Concord I asked a guy, “Where is the Concord Bridge where the Minute Man fired ‘the shot heard ‘round the world.’” He said for me to turn right, go to the end of town, turn left and then drive 65 miles directly south to Concord, Massachusetts, and I can’t miss it. Darn, I woulda SWORN it was in Concord, New Hampshire. Also BTW, I found out that “Concord” is pronounced “Con-kerd” up here. It seems that “Concord” was the name of a supersonic airplane, and Con-kerd is the name of a town. Sorta like “Prescott” and “Preskit” I guess
That’s it I guess. Except that I still have nightmares about turning the rig around that big-ass tree at the bottom of that ^%$*!#* dirt hill yesterday.
Heave Ho Ye Landlubbers,
Captain Hook, Wendy, Peter Pan, and Tinkerbelle.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
What a day!
What a day we just had! You wouldn’t believe! But first I gotta tell you about last night.
We decided to eat out. We had passed an Italian restaurant each time we rode or drove from the campground to the rally site and we finally decided we needed to try it. First of all it was named ‘Angela’s” and there really was a Momma Angela running the place with an iron Italian hand. We were seated in a large room with a mixture of other patrons when we decided the “music” (an accordion player) was just too loud for us. So I asked if we could be seated in the other dining room. Momma Angela looked us over and thought for a moment and then agreed. The other dining room was apparently reserved for special guests as it was filled with women with big hair sitting with big men wearing shiny suites and see-through socks. Everyone knew everyone else and each time a new guy would enter the room he’d make the rounds of the tables saying, “Hey, how ya doin’”, there were hugs and back-slaps everywhere. I didn’t see any cheek kissing but that might have been going on also. There were three old guys sitting at a table by themselves and EVERYONE went over and said hello before they went to their own table. There was a HUGE guy sitting at the table next to us who I swear was “Bobby” from the “Sopranos” and if Tony himself had walked in I wouldn’t have been a bit surprised. I found myself tawlkin’ with a Joisey accent and gesturing with my hands within just a few minutes of sitting down. Cheryl started calling me Francisco (in Italian, pronounced “Fran-ches-co”). Oh yeah, the food was FANTASTIC! I have never felt so Italian in all my life! I’m so proud I have a tear in my eye.
OK, now about today’s adventures. The BIB strikes again! (BIB = B*tch in the Box. AKA “Jill the Garmin GPS voice”). She took us down a dirt road that supposedly went to a campground but instead dwindled down into a cattle track and then DEAD-ENDED at a lake! Someone had carved out a very small circle around a HUGE tree with a bulldozer and the ground was soft and muddy but I had no choice. I put the truck in 4WD-Low Range and yanked the trailer around that tree. About half way around I saw that I was about to drag the side of the trailer against the tree so I stopped and backed up and gave it a second shot. This time, with four wheels churning and throwing dirt clods all over the front of the trailer I was able to yank her out of there unscathed.
We finally made it to another campground and are warm and safe. BTW, we drove through Vermont (Great Roads!) and into New Hampshire today. Tomorrow we’ll visit with my old friend Pete Kogut and drive into and out of Main far enough to get a “been there” pin. We supposedly have WiFi here at this camp but I am not confident in it, so if this is not posted today (07-23) you’ll know why.
Later.
F, C, P & C.
We decided to eat out. We had passed an Italian restaurant each time we rode or drove from the campground to the rally site and we finally decided we needed to try it. First of all it was named ‘Angela’s” and there really was a Momma Angela running the place with an iron Italian hand. We were seated in a large room with a mixture of other patrons when we decided the “music” (an accordion player) was just too loud for us. So I asked if we could be seated in the other dining room. Momma Angela looked us over and thought for a moment and then agreed. The other dining room was apparently reserved for special guests as it was filled with women with big hair sitting with big men wearing shiny suites and see-through socks. Everyone knew everyone else and each time a new guy would enter the room he’d make the rounds of the tables saying, “Hey, how ya doin’”, there were hugs and back-slaps everywhere. I didn’t see any cheek kissing but that might have been going on also. There were three old guys sitting at a table by themselves and EVERYONE went over and said hello before they went to their own table. There was a HUGE guy sitting at the table next to us who I swear was “Bobby” from the “Sopranos” and if Tony himself had walked in I wouldn’t have been a bit surprised. I found myself tawlkin’ with a Joisey accent and gesturing with my hands within just a few minutes of sitting down. Cheryl started calling me Francisco (in Italian, pronounced “Fran-ches-co”). Oh yeah, the food was FANTASTIC! I have never felt so Italian in all my life! I’m so proud I have a tear in my eye.
OK, now about today’s adventures. The BIB strikes again! (BIB = B*tch in the Box. AKA “Jill the Garmin GPS voice”). She took us down a dirt road that supposedly went to a campground but instead dwindled down into a cattle track and then DEAD-ENDED at a lake! Someone had carved out a very small circle around a HUGE tree with a bulldozer and the ground was soft and muddy but I had no choice. I put the truck in 4WD-Low Range and yanked the trailer around that tree. About half way around I saw that I was about to drag the side of the trailer against the tree so I stopped and backed up and gave it a second shot. This time, with four wheels churning and throwing dirt clods all over the front of the trailer I was able to yank her out of there unscathed.
We finally made it to another campground and are warm and safe. BTW, we drove through Vermont (Great Roads!) and into New Hampshire today. Tomorrow we’ll visit with my old friend Pete Kogut and drive into and out of Main far enough to get a “been there” pin. We supposedly have WiFi here at this camp but I am not confident in it, so if this is not posted today (07-23) you’ll know why.
Later.
F, C, P & C.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Two old hippies finally find their way to Woodstock
Woodstock: Where were you in August, 1969?
Frank: Raising two kids in Sterling, VA.
Cheryl: Just had third child in Ft. Wayne, IN.
Frank: On Thursday, July 21st, 2011, we finally made it to Woodstock, a whole community living off the memory of a three-day high in a big field 42 years ago. An interesting little town whose only problem is no one sells any cheap, Chinese made, tourist junk. All they have is really expensive, exotic,fancy, American made tourist junk. We were looking for a “been there” pin and all we could find were hand-crafted, beautiful, sophisticated, yuppie-puppy, bohemian, flower-children, hippy-dippy, arty stuff. I finally found a little Woodstock coin in an art shop (a hand-crafted Woodstock coin of course) which I have put on our "been there" board in the trailer. Cheryl’s been collecting pictures of beautiful churches of which there are lots everywhere. We tried to get some photos, but the lighting was all wrong. We’ll see if they’re worth publishing.
Cheryl: We stopped in Woodstock at what we thought was a small curio shop that had great parking right outside the door. It turned out to be a lovely art shop selling amazingly beautiful things. (Frank: Expensive.) I indulged myself and bought a pair of expensive earrings made by an artist who lives in Woodstock. They’re made from Liberty dimes, and I really like them. (Frank: They’re not really Liberty dimes.)
We were really on our way to Phoenicia to see the world’s largest kaleidoscope when we discovered Woodstock. This kaleidoscope is housed in a very tall silo and to view the kaleidoscope show you pay $5 (Frank: Out-freaking-rageous) and either lean up against these weird things with headrests or lie on the floor to make looking up easier. We opted to lie on the floor (Frank: In the soil from ten-thousand other tourist’s shoes) to see the show since we had the little round room all to ourselves. We both decided that the kaleidoscope show consisted of projections rather than actual functioning, revolving kaleidoscope action. Oh well, it was an interesting exercise lying on the floor of the tiny round room in the dark with my husband’s head on my tummy while chuckling over the various colorful configurations displayed above us. (Frank: The music was good, though.) Quite a picture of the old folks, heh? At least we had a nice rest before resuming our explorations of the little shop attached to the silo where the proprietors were selling very expensive kaleidoscopes of all shapes, sizes and configurations.
Back at the rally site, we ate dinner in the resort’s dining room where we watched (Frank: Other) bikers accept their awards from the bike show (Frank: Of which I didn’t win any.) That said, you never know who you might run into at a gathering of 400 bikers. We sat across from an interesting lady who lives in Manhattan in a loft apartment close to the spot where the movie Ghost was filmed. She moved to New York years ago with her artist husband and was glad to move into the loft rather than one of the tiny apartments occupied by most people who live in the city. This was her first motorcycle rally ever, and she was there with a friend who owns a Norton. She said she’s retired from the corporate world, so I asked her if she planned to stay in New York and surprisingly she said she would really like to move to New Mexico in a couple of years. She had visited her grandmother there and fell in love with the Southwest. Well, who wouldn’t!
When we leave here on Saturday we’ll head for cooler climes if we can find any in Maine where we want to snag a “been there” pin and then drop down to visit a friend in New Hampshire and maybe take a run through Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts while we’re at it. If we do that we can say we’ve been in every state of the US except Alaska. I know we’re nuts, but we’re happy that way.
Peace and Love,
John, Yoko, Ringo, and Paulette
Frank: Raising two kids in Sterling, VA.
Cheryl: Just had third child in Ft. Wayne, IN.
Frank: On Thursday, July 21st, 2011, we finally made it to Woodstock, a whole community living off the memory of a three-day high in a big field 42 years ago. An interesting little town whose only problem is no one sells any cheap, Chinese made, tourist junk. All they have is really expensive, exotic,fancy, American made tourist junk. We were looking for a “been there” pin and all we could find were hand-crafted, beautiful, sophisticated, yuppie-puppy, bohemian, flower-children, hippy-dippy, arty stuff. I finally found a little Woodstock coin in an art shop (a hand-crafted Woodstock coin of course) which I have put on our "been there" board in the trailer. Cheryl’s been collecting pictures of beautiful churches of which there are lots everywhere. We tried to get some photos, but the lighting was all wrong. We’ll see if they’re worth publishing.
Cheryl: We stopped in Woodstock at what we thought was a small curio shop that had great parking right outside the door. It turned out to be a lovely art shop selling amazingly beautiful things. (Frank: Expensive.) I indulged myself and bought a pair of expensive earrings made by an artist who lives in Woodstock. They’re made from Liberty dimes, and I really like them. (Frank: They’re not really Liberty dimes.)
We were really on our way to Phoenicia to see the world’s largest kaleidoscope when we discovered Woodstock. This kaleidoscope is housed in a very tall silo and to view the kaleidoscope show you pay $5 (Frank: Out-freaking-rageous) and either lean up against these weird things with headrests or lie on the floor to make looking up easier. We opted to lie on the floor (Frank: In the soil from ten-thousand other tourist’s shoes) to see the show since we had the little round room all to ourselves. We both decided that the kaleidoscope show consisted of projections rather than actual functioning, revolving kaleidoscope action. Oh well, it was an interesting exercise lying on the floor of the tiny round room in the dark with my husband’s head on my tummy while chuckling over the various colorful configurations displayed above us. (Frank: The music was good, though.) Quite a picture of the old folks, heh? At least we had a nice rest before resuming our explorations of the little shop attached to the silo where the proprietors were selling very expensive kaleidoscopes of all shapes, sizes and configurations.
Back at the rally site, we ate dinner in the resort’s dining room where we watched (Frank: Other) bikers accept their awards from the bike show (Frank: Of which I didn’t win any.) That said, you never know who you might run into at a gathering of 400 bikers. We sat across from an interesting lady who lives in Manhattan in a loft apartment close to the spot where the movie Ghost was filmed. She moved to New York years ago with her artist husband and was glad to move into the loft rather than one of the tiny apartments occupied by most people who live in the city. This was her first motorcycle rally ever, and she was there with a friend who owns a Norton. She said she’s retired from the corporate world, so I asked her if she planned to stay in New York and surprisingly she said she would really like to move to New Mexico in a couple of years. She had visited her grandmother there and fell in love with the Southwest. Well, who wouldn’t!
When we leave here on Saturday we’ll head for cooler climes if we can find any in Maine where we want to snag a “been there” pin and then drop down to visit a friend in New Hampshire and maybe take a run through Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts while we’re at it. If we do that we can say we’ve been in every state of the US except Alaska. I know we’re nuts, but we’re happy that way.
Peace and Love,
John, Yoko, Ringo, and Paulette
Thursday, July 21, 2011
I eat crow ......
All my trepidations were for naught. The rally is going fine. I last heard that there are about 460 registered participants and over 300 bikes. I think the club DID rent the whole resort as I’ve seen no indication that there are any non-participants walking about in a too-much-noise-what-are-all-these-bikers-doing-here-daze. Everyone seems to be having fun and I’ve heard no complaints about the RV camping. RV’ers are parking all over the resort in just about anyplace they can fit their rigs and dry-camping or making do with limited water and electricity. I’m not involved with the rally in any capacity so if there are complaints I wouldn’t hear them anyway. We decided several times over the last few days that our decision to come down here to the Rip Van Winkle RV Park was right for us though as we really like the quiet and seclusion. Some of our friends at the rally site said the partying got pretty rowdy and noisy the last couple of days and went deep into the night. And the resort put on a firework show last Tuesday and the puppies HATE fireworks, so they were said they were happy to be here also.
The day before yesterday we drove down to Saugerties and went out to the old Lighthouse. It was neat and interesting that a lighthouse was needed so far inland. Take a look at the seed pods we found. We Googled “Sharp Thorn Seed Pods” and we think they are from Water Chestnut Trees. Those things are brutal! They are had as rocks and sharp and needles. They would do serious damage to an un-shod foot or hoof! We also took a few photos of a pretty, old church, “Our Lady of the Snow.” We’ve never seen a church that had a cemetery completely surrounding it. Some of the grave markers go back to the early 1800’s and some are as recent as the 1990’s. Yesterday the rally had the “concourse” bike show. About 300 bikes were on display and they were everything from old beaters to beyond belief beautiful works of art.
We’ve decided to not go on the bus trip into New York City on Friday as we just don’t feel up to a 15 hour day (7AM meeting to 10PM return). We will donate our tickets for someone else to use. I haven’t looked at the schedule for today so other than the major banquet tonight I have no plans. It may turn out to be a day of local sightseeing.
That’s it. Enjoy the photos, and if it posts, the video.
Frank
The day before yesterday we drove down to Saugerties and went out to the old Lighthouse. It was neat and interesting that a lighthouse was needed so far inland. Take a look at the seed pods we found. We Googled “Sharp Thorn Seed Pods” and we think they are from Water Chestnut Trees. Those things are brutal! They are had as rocks and sharp and needles. They would do serious damage to an un-shod foot or hoof! We also took a few photos of a pretty, old church, “Our Lady of the Snow.” We’ve never seen a church that had a cemetery completely surrounding it. Some of the grave markers go back to the early 1800’s and some are as recent as the 1990’s. Yesterday the rally had the “concourse” bike show. About 300 bikes were on display and they were everything from old beaters to beyond belief beautiful works of art.
We’ve decided to not go on the bus trip into New York City on Friday as we just don’t feel up to a 15 hour day (7AM meeting to 10PM return). We will donate our tickets for someone else to use. I haven’t looked at the schedule for today so other than the major banquet tonight I have no plans. It may turn out to be a day of local sightseeing.
That’s it. Enjoy the photos, and if it posts, the video.
Frank
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Bike Show Day
Cheryl: Frank took off for Blackthorn this morning with a backpack full of polishing stuff and the sign describing the bike. He'll enter Starship Snoopy in the show and have fun all day talking bikes. I'll drive over tonight in the truck for the BBQ and music by Tower Suite, a blues and rock band.
Since I've got the day to myself, I took advantage of a cooler morning with less humidity to take the dogs for a long walk. I stumbled on to the creek I've been trying to locate since we got here. I wanted to find the "swimmin' hole" mentioned on the map of the campground. The dogs and I walked for a couple of miles along the creek and found the beach. I eventually walked my way to the very back of the campground where the group areas are located, so we left the creek and followed the EXIT signs back to the trailer. I fed the dogs when we got home, and they've been peacefully sleeping since (of course that's what they do most of the time anyway).
Now that I'm caught up on my emails and have had a nap, I'll process some pictures to post here. We went to visit a lighthouse yesterday and took a driving tour of the sweet little town of Saugerties (sog-er-tees). We also watched the field events at the rally site - the slow race to see who can go the slowest on a motorcycle, the toss-the-little-airplane-through-the-hoop to test the passenger's aim and the rider's ability to control the bike while someone on the back is wiggling around trying to get a good shot in, and many more safe and fun events. In the bad old days, Frank and I participated in the beer can toss, and we have the picture on the wall at home to prove it. Hey, we were young once! After the events, we had another great m/c ride on the Norton back to our campground for dinner and then back to the rally site in the truck for social hour where we located our friend, Jim Comstock, and his family. If you haven't guessed by now, there's a lot of standing around shooting the breeze involved in these national rallies.
Tomorrow during the day this group of 400 Norton enthusiasts will get together for a group photo and then a big, loud blast as all those Norton's fire up for a group ride. In the evening the awards from the bike show will be presented during a banquet along with other awards for fun things like longest distance traveled to get here, oldest rider, youngest rider, and well, you get the idea. There are 14 guys here from the UK and 7 shipped their bikes over. Also, we've heard there are riders from Australia, Spain, Norway, and France! This truly has lived up to its promise of being the first truly international rally of the INOA. That's really impressive! The club has 1400 members now. Frank really started something BIG back in 1975!
Happily, my sweaty, but smiling husband just rolled in from the bike show. Looks like I'll have company on the drive over to the BBQ tonight. Cool! I love my guy.
Pictures coming soon!
Love from Rip Van Winkle and the sleepy three
Since I've got the day to myself, I took advantage of a cooler morning with less humidity to take the dogs for a long walk. I stumbled on to the creek I've been trying to locate since we got here. I wanted to find the "swimmin' hole" mentioned on the map of the campground. The dogs and I walked for a couple of miles along the creek and found the beach. I eventually walked my way to the very back of the campground where the group areas are located, so we left the creek and followed the EXIT signs back to the trailer. I fed the dogs when we got home, and they've been peacefully sleeping since (of course that's what they do most of the time anyway).
Now that I'm caught up on my emails and have had a nap, I'll process some pictures to post here. We went to visit a lighthouse yesterday and took a driving tour of the sweet little town of Saugerties (sog-er-tees). We also watched the field events at the rally site - the slow race to see who can go the slowest on a motorcycle, the toss-the-little-airplane-through-the-hoop to test the passenger's aim and the rider's ability to control the bike while someone on the back is wiggling around trying to get a good shot in, and many more safe and fun events. In the bad old days, Frank and I participated in the beer can toss, and we have the picture on the wall at home to prove it. Hey, we were young once! After the events, we had another great m/c ride on the Norton back to our campground for dinner and then back to the rally site in the truck for social hour where we located our friend, Jim Comstock, and his family. If you haven't guessed by now, there's a lot of standing around shooting the breeze involved in these national rallies.
Tomorrow during the day this group of 400 Norton enthusiasts will get together for a group photo and then a big, loud blast as all those Norton's fire up for a group ride. In the evening the awards from the bike show will be presented during a banquet along with other awards for fun things like longest distance traveled to get here, oldest rider, youngest rider, and well, you get the idea. There are 14 guys here from the UK and 7 shipped their bikes over. Also, we've heard there are riders from Australia, Spain, Norway, and France! This truly has lived up to its promise of being the first truly international rally of the INOA. That's really impressive! The club has 1400 members now. Frank really started something BIG back in 1975!
Happily, my sweaty, but smiling husband just rolled in from the bike show. Looks like I'll have company on the drive over to the BBQ tonight. Cool! I love my guy.
Pictures coming soon!
Love from Rip Van Winkle and the sleepy three
Sunday, July 17, 2011
News from the Emerald City - Blackthorn, NY
Frank: We are firmly ensconced in the Rip Van Winkle RV Park. We did a two day evaluation of the available parks in the area and this is by far the nicest. The drawback is that it is 23 miles from the Blackthorn, so it is a commute to the rally activities. It was built in the 60’s and is completely wooded with nice spaces not too close together. It has full hook-ups and good Internet access. Since we are in a thickly wooded area, I felt confident enough to put up the trailer’s awning in the hope that the trees will subdue any big winds that might hit the area while we are away. Winds and awnings are a bad mix.
I bought a printer for this computer yesterday. I have thought of doing so for several years and decided that printing the list of RV parks was enough justification right now. It is a HP DeskJet 2050 Scanner/Printer. It will go on Cheryl’s computer at home so she doesn’t have to print on the printer in my office and then walk across the house to see the results.
Driving around and looking at the RV parks may have been a waste of time, I really don’t know. I didn’t bring any contact information for the local chapter who put this rally together, so I don’t know how many members are coming to the rally in RV’s. If it is just a handful, then they may be able to squeeze into Blackthorn. I decided we wouldn’t stay there anyway because of the lack of Wi-Fi and cable TV, and the few available RV spots are (in my humble opinion) gruesome. Plus it is a “Family Resort,” and we didn’t reserve the whole thing, so there are hundreds of screaming kids all over the place. I don’t do screaming kids. I wonder if we will be able to restrict “public access” to the Rally area.
This is the day before the rally start. Cheryl and I will drive up to the Blackthorn later in the morning and see if we can find the rally folks. I assume they should be there sometime in the early afternoon. Then later in the day we will return here, and I will take the Norton out of the trailer and get him ready for the rally activities.
Cheryl: We spent a very quiet night here in the deep, dark woods. I’m so glad we’re staying here, but it does make a long commute for Frank on the bike. I’ll probably not spend too much time on the back of the bike this year. I think Frank will be more comfortable riding single, although I’ll miss riding the twisty-turnies behind him. I’ve brought many things to do including working on my next novel, which has yet to have one word written. I’ll be happy here at our hideaway in the woods, while he’s out tearing up the roadways.
We found out yesterday when we got online that the rally organizers were able to add another bus to the scheduled tour of New York City. We’ll be on that bus, and I’m excited about the possibility of seeing some of New York since I haven’t been here since the 60s.
Once the rally gets underway there will be old friends to meet and events to watch along with good meals and good conversation. Today will be another relaxing day, and it’s good to see Frank enjoying some down time for a change.
Love and hugs from “the yellow brick road,” The Tin Man, Dorothy, Toto and the Lion
I bought a printer for this computer yesterday. I have thought of doing so for several years and decided that printing the list of RV parks was enough justification right now. It is a HP DeskJet 2050 Scanner/Printer. It will go on Cheryl’s computer at home so she doesn’t have to print on the printer in my office and then walk across the house to see the results.
Driving around and looking at the RV parks may have been a waste of time, I really don’t know. I didn’t bring any contact information for the local chapter who put this rally together, so I don’t know how many members are coming to the rally in RV’s. If it is just a handful, then they may be able to squeeze into Blackthorn. I decided we wouldn’t stay there anyway because of the lack of Wi-Fi and cable TV, and the few available RV spots are (in my humble opinion) gruesome. Plus it is a “Family Resort,” and we didn’t reserve the whole thing, so there are hundreds of screaming kids all over the place. I don’t do screaming kids. I wonder if we will be able to restrict “public access” to the Rally area.
This is the day before the rally start. Cheryl and I will drive up to the Blackthorn later in the morning and see if we can find the rally folks. I assume they should be there sometime in the early afternoon. Then later in the day we will return here, and I will take the Norton out of the trailer and get him ready for the rally activities.
Cheryl: We spent a very quiet night here in the deep, dark woods. I’m so glad we’re staying here, but it does make a long commute for Frank on the bike. I’ll probably not spend too much time on the back of the bike this year. I think Frank will be more comfortable riding single, although I’ll miss riding the twisty-turnies behind him. I’ve brought many things to do including working on my next novel, which has yet to have one word written. I’ll be happy here at our hideaway in the woods, while he’s out tearing up the roadways.
We found out yesterday when we got online that the rally organizers were able to add another bus to the scheduled tour of New York City. We’ll be on that bus, and I’m excited about the possibility of seeing some of New York since I haven’t been here since the 60s.
Once the rally gets underway there will be old friends to meet and events to watch along with good meals and good conversation. Today will be another relaxing day, and it’s good to see Frank enjoying some down time for a change.
Love and hugs from “the yellow brick road,” The Tin Man, Dorothy, Toto and the Lion
Saturday, July 16, 2011
A Day Without Travel
MacDonalds Wi Fi Again
Cheryl: It’s 4:40 on Friday afternoon and Frank is asleep on the couch with his “Used-to-be-Bad” jacket draped across his torso, his boots off and deposited precariously at the end of the couch, and my blue shawl over his face. It’s warm enough this afternoon to have the air conditioner humming and the puppies are asleep in their beds. I must admit to just waking up from a nap myself. Finally we’ve had time to unwind and get some rest after traveling all the way across country in eight travel days.
Frank decided we needed to do something for all the people in RVs who show up at the rally expecting a nice place to park their rigs. We once again investigated the facilities at Blackthorn resort, the site of the rally. Convinced that there are only three sites with full hook-ups and maybe five sites with water, power, but no sewer, we began our tour of the area’s campgrounds, so those arriving will have alternatives. We visited Brookstone, Rip Van Winkle, Whip O Will, and will include the one where we’re currently parked, Blue Mountain RV. Frank has collected GPS coordinates and miles from the central rally site at Blackthorn for each of the other RV parks. He has also drawn a map with each of the sites pinpointed on it. When we find a printer to use with our computer, he will print a comprehensive list of places for people to park their rigs that can be handed out to rally participants when they arrive. While Blackthorn has at least 100 RV sites, all but the eight we found are inhabited by seasonal park rigs.
Our tour of campgrounds took most of the morning, and we stopped to eat lunch at the Log Cabin Café. The food was tasty and the young couple who own this sweet little place were delightful. The owner/cook helped Frank with his mapping project, while his wife and I talked about the restoration they did at the “log cabin” when they bought it in 2003. This place is so inviting down to the stained glass chandeliers, the restroom featuring two tree limbs leaned in a corner with decorative little owls perched on them, and a soap dispenser shaped like a pinecone that squirts heavenly smelling soap. And talk about clean, this place is immaculate! The Log Cabin Café is also a New York deli with ham, roast beef, cheeses, and luscious pieces of pie occupying their display case. This little place gave us good reason to upgrade our opinion of this exclusive resort area with its winding tree-lined roadways and thriving venues. We’ve seen some “estates” in the woods here that are right out of some gothic novel, impressive and palatial.
Tomorrow, Saturday, we’re moving to the Rip Van Winkle RV Park where they have WiFi and lovely wooded campsites. The young host has been working at this family-owned campground since he was a boy when it belonged to his grandfather, who opened it in 1962. It’s an excellent place to stay with a swimming pool, swimming hole in the creek, a fishing lake and trails through the forest. We’ve finally found our home for the week and, Greg and Betty, you can relax because we won’t be there early after all!
More Norton Empire Rally news as it happens. Please stay with us, surely something exciting is bound to happen sooner or later. Remember, you read it here first!
Love, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and the Press Pups
Cheryl: It’s 4:40 on Friday afternoon and Frank is asleep on the couch with his “Used-to-be-Bad” jacket draped across his torso, his boots off and deposited precariously at the end of the couch, and my blue shawl over his face. It’s warm enough this afternoon to have the air conditioner humming and the puppies are asleep in their beds. I must admit to just waking up from a nap myself. Finally we’ve had time to unwind and get some rest after traveling all the way across country in eight travel days.
Frank decided we needed to do something for all the people in RVs who show up at the rally expecting a nice place to park their rigs. We once again investigated the facilities at Blackthorn resort, the site of the rally. Convinced that there are only three sites with full hook-ups and maybe five sites with water, power, but no sewer, we began our tour of the area’s campgrounds, so those arriving will have alternatives. We visited Brookstone, Rip Van Winkle, Whip O Will, and will include the one where we’re currently parked, Blue Mountain RV. Frank has collected GPS coordinates and miles from the central rally site at Blackthorn for each of the other RV parks. He has also drawn a map with each of the sites pinpointed on it. When we find a printer to use with our computer, he will print a comprehensive list of places for people to park their rigs that can be handed out to rally participants when they arrive. While Blackthorn has at least 100 RV sites, all but the eight we found are inhabited by seasonal park rigs.
Our tour of campgrounds took most of the morning, and we stopped to eat lunch at the Log Cabin Café. The food was tasty and the young couple who own this sweet little place were delightful. The owner/cook helped Frank with his mapping project, while his wife and I talked about the restoration they did at the “log cabin” when they bought it in 2003. This place is so inviting down to the stained glass chandeliers, the restroom featuring two tree limbs leaned in a corner with decorative little owls perched on them, and a soap dispenser shaped like a pinecone that squirts heavenly smelling soap. And talk about clean, this place is immaculate! The Log Cabin Café is also a New York deli with ham, roast beef, cheeses, and luscious pieces of pie occupying their display case. This little place gave us good reason to upgrade our opinion of this exclusive resort area with its winding tree-lined roadways and thriving venues. We’ve seen some “estates” in the woods here that are right out of some gothic novel, impressive and palatial.
Tomorrow, Saturday, we’re moving to the Rip Van Winkle RV Park where they have WiFi and lovely wooded campsites. The young host has been working at this family-owned campground since he was a boy when it belonged to his grandfather, who opened it in 1962. It’s an excellent place to stay with a swimming pool, swimming hole in the creek, a fishing lake and trails through the forest. We’ve finally found our home for the week and, Greg and Betty, you can relax because we won’t be there early after all!
More Norton Empire Rally news as it happens. Please stay with us, surely something exciting is bound to happen sooner or later. Remember, you read it here first!
Love, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and the Press Pups
Friday, July 15, 2011
Erie to Catskill at Last!
We found a WiFi location at MacDonalds:
Cheryl: We woke up this morning at 6:40 a.m. rather than our usual 5:30 a.m. so our day got off to a bit of a slow start. However, we were out on the highway cruising along by 8:45 a.m. Things went really, really well as we drove through lush hills covered with thick trees and crossed creeks, rivers, and lakes. This was a ride we were really enjoying until we hit a patch of very bumpy road. We decided that New York State has some of the smoothest and some of the worst roads in the whole U.S. We got “beat to death” over several stretches until we vowed to cross New York off our map right along with Oklahoma and Indiana. Anyway, we survived and then the real adventure began.
The GPS took us on a tour of the Catskill mountains’ back roads for at least a couple of hours. We were up, down, around terrific curves and blind “head walls.” You’ll know what that looks like if you’re a skier. Ok, so we finally drug into East Durham, which wasn’t on the map at all along with several roads we drove on to get there. We pulled into the Blackthorn Campground where there were Irish people and more Irish people all over the place, backing up, backing in, and strolling about in all directions on foot and in cars! It was a madhouse of blarney! It is also Irish Arts Week at the resort. Sigh. Ok, so we have nothing against the Irish, in fact, I have ancestors of that persuasion. However, when Frank came back to the car with instructions to drive around until he spotted a campsite with full hook ups and then grab it, I knew we were in trouble.
Eventually after a precarious backing up and turning around procedure, Frank had a heart to heart talk with the office manager. Subsequently he road around in a golf cart looking over the available spaces. None of the spaces proved to be anywhere we wanted to spend a whole week.
Down the road we went at 7:00 p.m. to find the Blue Mountain Campground where we’re checked in for the next two nights at least. The tall trees are wonderful, but the mosquitoes are as big as Howard Hughes, Spruce Goose airplane. We’ve been almost carried off to the big mosquito blood-letting station in the sky. Tomorrow we look around for better accommodations, and Frank’s brother’s place in Virginia is looking very appealing for an early arrival at this point.
Oh yes, and we have no WiFi so this will be posted a bit late, I’m afraid.
Love, Daniel Boon and the bewildered three
Cheryl: We woke up this morning at 6:40 a.m. rather than our usual 5:30 a.m. so our day got off to a bit of a slow start. However, we were out on the highway cruising along by 8:45 a.m. Things went really, really well as we drove through lush hills covered with thick trees and crossed creeks, rivers, and lakes. This was a ride we were really enjoying until we hit a patch of very bumpy road. We decided that New York State has some of the smoothest and some of the worst roads in the whole U.S. We got “beat to death” over several stretches until we vowed to cross New York off our map right along with Oklahoma and Indiana. Anyway, we survived and then the real adventure began.
The GPS took us on a tour of the Catskill mountains’ back roads for at least a couple of hours. We were up, down, around terrific curves and blind “head walls.” You’ll know what that looks like if you’re a skier. Ok, so we finally drug into East Durham, which wasn’t on the map at all along with several roads we drove on to get there. We pulled into the Blackthorn Campground where there were Irish people and more Irish people all over the place, backing up, backing in, and strolling about in all directions on foot and in cars! It was a madhouse of blarney! It is also Irish Arts Week at the resort. Sigh. Ok, so we have nothing against the Irish, in fact, I have ancestors of that persuasion. However, when Frank came back to the car with instructions to drive around until he spotted a campsite with full hook ups and then grab it, I knew we were in trouble.
Eventually after a precarious backing up and turning around procedure, Frank had a heart to heart talk with the office manager. Subsequently he road around in a golf cart looking over the available spaces. None of the spaces proved to be anywhere we wanted to spend a whole week.
Down the road we went at 7:00 p.m. to find the Blue Mountain Campground where we’re checked in for the next two nights at least. The tall trees are wonderful, but the mosquitoes are as big as Howard Hughes, Spruce Goose airplane. We’ve been almost carried off to the big mosquito blood-letting station in the sky. Tomorrow we look around for better accommodations, and Frank’s brother’s place in Virginia is looking very appealing for an early arrival at this point.
Oh yes, and we have no WiFi so this will be posted a bit late, I’m afraid.
Love, Daniel Boon and the bewildered three
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Frank: Here's a photo I forgot to upload.
Cheryl: We're in Erie, Pennsylvania, and it's breezy and warm, but not hot and not humid. We've landed at another top-notch KOA. There is a big catch-and-release pond here with a grassy lawn surrounding it. There are little cabins tucked in the woods around the pond along with tent-camping places. The pool is heated and sits next to a large pavilion where they have activities for kids. It is obvious there are many locals here enjoying their resort-style-stay-at-home vacations. Our spot has a concrete pad along with a round table with chairs, a shade umbrella and a gas grill. Gosh, this is the ticket!
I'm going to go stake out an Adirondack chair by the lake and read my book. The puppies will go along. Frank graciously grabbed the laundry and struck out for the washing machines housed close by. We're both tired tonight, but looking forward to reaching our destination in the Catskills tomorrow after about a 6 1/2 hour ride. We're arriving a whole day early! Great planning and no backing up so far. We've had pull through spots to park every night, and I've know where my pillow would be each night as well. I'm a very happy camper.
Be sure to look at the airplane pictures Frank posted.
Love, Cheryl, Frank and the puppies
Cheryl: We're in Erie, Pennsylvania, and it's breezy and warm, but not hot and not humid. We've landed at another top-notch KOA. There is a big catch-and-release pond here with a grassy lawn surrounding it. There are little cabins tucked in the woods around the pond along with tent-camping places. The pool is heated and sits next to a large pavilion where they have activities for kids. It is obvious there are many locals here enjoying their resort-style-stay-at-home vacations. Our spot has a concrete pad along with a round table with chairs, a shade umbrella and a gas grill. Gosh, this is the ticket!I'm going to go stake out an Adirondack chair by the lake and read my book. The puppies will go along. Frank graciously grabbed the laundry and struck out for the washing machines housed close by. We're both tired tonight, but looking forward to reaching our destination in the Catskills tomorrow after about a 6 1/2 hour ride. We're arriving a whole day early! Great planning and no backing up so far. We've had pull through spots to park every night, and I've know where my pillow would be each night as well. I'm a very happy camper.
Be sure to look at the airplane pictures Frank posted.
Love, Cheryl, Frank and the puppies
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Silver Birds
Cheryl: The puppies had a rough time last evening because we had lots of very determined thunder followed by an equally loud downpour. Peanut jumped in the bathtub while Cleo snuggled up between Frank and me on the couch. Both of them were panting as if they’d run the race of their lives. This went on for over an hour, so they were both worn out today. That worked out well for us since today was our day at Wright Patterson Air Base and the Air Force Museum, while the puppies kept each other company in the trailer.
The museum is off base, but we signed up to ride a bus over to the base and spend an hour looking at test planes and presidential planes. The security to get on base was well executed. We all had to show ID and they gave us wrist bands with numbers on them. They also wrote down our names and addresses. We were counted when we got on the bus and counted when we got back on the bus after touring the two big hangers on base. Each time we had to show our number wrist band and be checked off the master list. I thought the whole process was very efficient.
Frank will tell you all about the “rare birds” he loved seeing. I enjoyed the Disney display and learned that Disney created insignias for the military during WWII. Then, I loved watching some of the Bob Hope USO shows and seeing pictures of the celebrities who served like Clark Gable and Glen Miller. I felt especially privileged to climb aboard the Air Force One plane on which Jackie Kennedy stood beside Lyndon Johnson as he was sworn in as President after John Kennedy was assassinated. I can’t imagine how she felt standing next to a man she didn’t admire (to say the least), while knowing her husband lay dead in the cargo hold below her. I didn’t know that President Kennedy had his presidential plane painted blue rather than the traditional white. He wanted it to be distinctive, and it certainly is.
We also walked through the Columbine II that served while Dwight Eisenhower was president. His wife named the plane after the state flower of Colorado, her adopted home state. I’m so glad we’re preserving all this history for our descendants. I was struck by the number of wars Frank and I have lived to witness: born at the end of WWII, then Korea, Vietnam, Iraq-twice, and Afghanistan. I’m sure I’ve left our some conflicts as well. Yet, we’ve been for the most part bystanders as our little worlds have been kept safe and free by those who served. God bless them all!
Frank: Airplane overload. Way too much to absorb! It would take days (or maybe a lifetime) to fully appreciate the width and breadth of this magnificent collection of aircraft. My favorites are two aircraft at opposite ends of the size spectrum but linked together by necessity. The larger is the B-36, a huge 6 prop, 4 jet strategic nuclear bomber behemoth capable of flying 6000 miles unrefueled (no in-flight refueling capability). The smaller is the XF-85 Goblin a sub-miniature fighter designed to be attached to the B-36 and dropped (and retrieved) in flight. Its job was to fend off any enemy fighters that might endanger the bomber.
See
http://air-and-space.com/peacemkr.htm
and
http://air-and-space.com/goblins.htm
for some info on the two planes.
It’s 10PM and I turned into a pumpkin about an hour ago so I will post photos tomorrow. I think.
Camp On!
Frank, Cheryl, Peanut & Cleo
The museum is off base, but we signed up to ride a bus over to the base and spend an hour looking at test planes and presidential planes. The security to get on base was well executed. We all had to show ID and they gave us wrist bands with numbers on them. They also wrote down our names and addresses. We were counted when we got on the bus and counted when we got back on the bus after touring the two big hangers on base. Each time we had to show our number wrist band and be checked off the master list. I thought the whole process was very efficient.
Frank will tell you all about the “rare birds” he loved seeing. I enjoyed the Disney display and learned that Disney created insignias for the military during WWII. Then, I loved watching some of the Bob Hope USO shows and seeing pictures of the celebrities who served like Clark Gable and Glen Miller. I felt especially privileged to climb aboard the Air Force One plane on which Jackie Kennedy stood beside Lyndon Johnson as he was sworn in as President after John Kennedy was assassinated. I can’t imagine how she felt standing next to a man she didn’t admire (to say the least), while knowing her husband lay dead in the cargo hold below her. I didn’t know that President Kennedy had his presidential plane painted blue rather than the traditional white. He wanted it to be distinctive, and it certainly is.
We also walked through the Columbine II that served while Dwight Eisenhower was president. His wife named the plane after the state flower of Colorado, her adopted home state. I’m so glad we’re preserving all this history for our descendants. I was struck by the number of wars Frank and I have lived to witness: born at the end of WWII, then Korea, Vietnam, Iraq-twice, and Afghanistan. I’m sure I’ve left our some conflicts as well. Yet, we’ve been for the most part bystanders as our little worlds have been kept safe and free by those who served. God bless them all!
Frank: Airplane overload. Way too much to absorb! It would take days (or maybe a lifetime) to fully appreciate the width and breadth of this magnificent collection of aircraft. My favorites are two aircraft at opposite ends of the size spectrum but linked together by necessity. The larger is the B-36, a huge 6 prop, 4 jet strategic nuclear bomber behemoth capable of flying 6000 miles unrefueled (no in-flight refueling capability). The smaller is the XF-85 Goblin a sub-miniature fighter designed to be attached to the B-36 and dropped (and retrieved) in flight. Its job was to fend off any enemy fighters that might endanger the bomber.
See
http://air-and-space.com/peacemkr.htm
and
http://air-and-space.com/goblins.htm
for some info on the two planes.
It’s 10PM and I turned into a pumpkin about an hour ago so I will post photos tomorrow. I think.
Camp On!
Frank, Cheryl, Peanut & Cleo
Monday, July 11, 2011
It's the destination . . .
Cheryl: and NOT the ride this time.
We’ve finally escaped the awful heat and humidity of Missouri and Illinois. We cut across Illinois and Indiana and into Ohio today where we’ve landed in Brookville, Ohio, at an awesome KOA Campground with acres of RV sites along with a fishing lake, volleyball courts, putting green, playgrounds and trails. We’re in a lovely wooded spot and will be here for two nights, so we can visit the Air Force Museum all day tomorrow. It promises to be a lovely cool evening here, and we plan to take a stroll around the grounds as the sun goes down.
It looks like we figured our six hours per day travel time just about right as we’ve checked the GPS for miles to go, and we’ll easily make our July 15 first night reserved at the rally RV Campground in the Catskills. The rally doesn’t start until Monday, July 18, so we should be well settled in by that time. It will be great to stay in one spot for over a week after this mad dash of “one-night stands” across country. I’m getting worn out with travel, and I know Frank has to be weary of all this driving. I sure hope the weather in New York is cool and breezy! Phoenix heat doesn’t seem so unreasonable after what we’ve just driven through!
I brought along some frozen entrees as quick meals, but last evening we enjoyed pork chops, potatoes and carrots cooked in our little George Foreman cooker. Also, in the last three days we’ve polished off a small pound cake and a Sara Lee coffee cake. Didn’t someone, somewhere one time say it’s ok to eat dessert when on vacation? I’m pretty sure I read that in some credible source book.
We miss all of you and would love hearing from you either by email or through the comments feature on blogspot.com (it’s a little tiny link below each posting).
Frank: Odd observations:
1. Most of the big trucks now have the new streamlined, aerodynamic bodies. They are very good looking with sloped hoods, small frontal areas, headlights molded into the fenders, and shielding all over the parts that used to stick out and catch the wind. I’d say 80% of the trucks are new style and 20% are the old Peterbuilt and Freightliner styles with the massive radiators, headlights on stalks, and big ominous unibrow sun visors over the windshields.
2. In 2008 we drove from Phoenix to Pennsylvania and in doing so travelled through Oklahoma. Rt. 40 through Oklahoma was soooooo bad we ended up blacking out the whole state in our atlas and swearing to never set wheel in it again. This evening I just did the same thing to Indiana. If this keeps up we will run out of ways to get back east. In a nutshell, Rt. 70 in Indiana west of Indianapolis and east of Indianapolis is horrible, as in “beat you to death horrible.” I watched in awe as even the big trucks swerved and dodged the potholes along the edge of the road. But around Indianapolis the road is wonderful and there are some beautiful new intersections being built. I think all of their highway maintenance money is going into those projects.
3. The truck and trailer have a “sweet spot” at about 62-63 mph. Above that it gets a little squirrely. At that speed I get 9 mpg. I could get more if I dropped back to 55-60 mph but the speed limits on I-70 tend to run 70-75 mph and I hate to be an even bigger roadblock than I am now. I could also get better mileage if I used the cruise control but it can’t plan ahead when a hill is coming up and add on a few mph and I hate to have the truck bog down and then shift down and over-rev the engine trying to maintain headway.
4. Today we passed a sign for a “Corvette and VW” museum. Now that’s an interesting combination. I swear a body could make it a lifetime objective to see all the strange little museums in this country. It would be fun. Sort of like that “White Castle” movie.
That’s it. Tomorrow is a full day at the Air Force Museum. I plan to be really tired tomorrow night.
Don't forget, click on the photo for a full screen version.
Lots of Love from:
The intrepid four.
We’ve finally escaped the awful heat and humidity of Missouri and Illinois. We cut across Illinois and Indiana and into Ohio today where we’ve landed in Brookville, Ohio, at an awesome KOA Campground with acres of RV sites along with a fishing lake, volleyball courts, putting green, playgrounds and trails. We’re in a lovely wooded spot and will be here for two nights, so we can visit the Air Force Museum all day tomorrow. It promises to be a lovely cool evening here, and we plan to take a stroll around the grounds as the sun goes down.
It looks like we figured our six hours per day travel time just about right as we’ve checked the GPS for miles to go, and we’ll easily make our July 15 first night reserved at the rally RV Campground in the Catskills. The rally doesn’t start until Monday, July 18, so we should be well settled in by that time. It will be great to stay in one spot for over a week after this mad dash of “one-night stands” across country. I’m getting worn out with travel, and I know Frank has to be weary of all this driving. I sure hope the weather in New York is cool and breezy! Phoenix heat doesn’t seem so unreasonable after what we’ve just driven through!
I brought along some frozen entrees as quick meals, but last evening we enjoyed pork chops, potatoes and carrots cooked in our little George Foreman cooker. Also, in the last three days we’ve polished off a small pound cake and a Sara Lee coffee cake. Didn’t someone, somewhere one time say it’s ok to eat dessert when on vacation? I’m pretty sure I read that in some credible source book.
We miss all of you and would love hearing from you either by email or through the comments feature on blogspot.com (it’s a little tiny link below each posting).Frank: Odd observations:
1. Most of the big trucks now have the new streamlined, aerodynamic bodies. They are very good looking with sloped hoods, small frontal areas, headlights molded into the fenders, and shielding all over the parts that used to stick out and catch the wind. I’d say 80% of the trucks are new style and 20% are the old Peterbuilt and Freightliner styles with the massive radiators, headlights on stalks, and big ominous unibrow sun visors over the windshields.
2. In 2008 we drove from Phoenix to Pennsylvania and in doing so travelled through Oklahoma. Rt. 40 through Oklahoma was soooooo bad we ended up blacking out the whole state in our atlas and swearing to never set wheel in it again. This evening I just did the same thing to Indiana. If this keeps up we will run out of ways to get back east. In a nutshell, Rt. 70 in Indiana west of Indianapolis and east of Indianapolis is horrible, as in “beat you to death horrible.” I watched in awe as even the big trucks swerved and dodged the potholes along the edge of the road. But around Indianapolis the road is wonderful and there are some beautiful new intersections being built. I think all of their highway maintenance money is going into those projects.
3. The truck and trailer have a “sweet spot” at about 62-63 mph. Above that it gets a little squirrely. At that speed I get 9 mpg. I could get more if I dropped back to 55-60 mph but the speed limits on I-70 tend to run 70-75 mph and I hate to be an even bigger roadblock than I am now. I could also get better mileage if I used the cruise control but it can’t plan ahead when a hill is coming up and add on a few mph and I hate to have the truck bog down and then shift down and over-rev the engine trying to maintain headway.
4. Today we passed a sign for a “Corvette and VW” museum. Now that’s an interesting combination. I swear a body could make it a lifetime objective to see all the strange little museums in this country. It would be fun. Sort of like that “White Castle” movie.
That’s it. Tomorrow is a full day at the Air Force Museum. I plan to be really tired tomorrow night.
Don't forget, click on the photo for a full screen version.
Lots of Love from:
The intrepid four.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Day 5. Mulberry Grove
Frank: We are in Mulberry Grove, Illinois, about 30 miles east of St. Louis. Last night we were in Topeka, Kansas at the Cement City RV Park. It was actually the Deer Creek RV Park, but Cement City seems a better description. It is very nice but very austere. The story is that it was built by a guy who owns a cement contracting business and who has a brother who owns a cement factory. So he very cleverly designed it to be minimum maintenance required. All the roads are cement, all the pads are cement, all the pads are sized for big class A’s, and all the grass areas are borderless. There are no trees to be maintained or mowed around, and all the utilities are in a neat, above ground white pedestal. The grass is cut with a big tractor dragging a huge mower blade and the roads and pads are vacuumed with a sweeper truck. The only drawback to the design is the lack of shade, but that only affects the clients and we are transients anyway.
Today’s drive was easy, we just mainline east on I-70. We pulled over a few times to walk the dogs, and stopped at a nice rest area in Missouri to make lunch. I have to say that Missouri has really nice rest areas!
Tomorrow should be an easy day of about 4-5 hours. We are going to stop in Dayton, Ohio and spend the next day at the Air Force Museum. I last saw the museum back in about 1972 when I made my very first cross-country motorcycle tour on my 1970 Triumph Chopper. I expect it will be like déjà-vu all over again.
Cheryl: I’m too tired to be perky and creative so I will write something later or maybe tomorrow.
Today’s drive was easy, we just mainline east on I-70. We pulled over a few times to walk the dogs, and stopped at a nice rest area in Missouri to make lunch. I have to say that Missouri has really nice rest areas!
Tomorrow should be an easy day of about 4-5 hours. We are going to stop in Dayton, Ohio and spend the next day at the Air Force Museum. I last saw the museum back in about 1972 when I made my very first cross-country motorcycle tour on my 1970 Triumph Chopper. I expect it will be like déjà-vu all over again.
Cheryl: I’m too tired to be perky and creative so I will write something later or maybe tomorrow.
Trouble Editing Our Posts
Cheryl:
Hi Everyone,
We've been trying to let you know you can click on the photos we post to see them full size. However, the editing software won't let us republish our only post so far with pictures. So now you know. So there!
Today we'll be on the road to a little town called Mulberry Grove just east of St. Louis. We've been planning for about six hours travel time per day and always have a RV spot reserved when we leave the last one. Frank prefers to "fly by the seat of his pants," but he has been gracious enough to let me schedule us just a bit. I'm much more relaxed when I know where I'm going to land in the evening.
It's very, very hot and humid here in Topeka, Kansas. Deer Creek RV Park is only four years old and very CLEAN! In fact, there is so much cement here that it feels sterile. We're surrounded by woods because formerly this area was a corn field. It's a very nice place, but frankly, I prefer things to be a bit more "homey." Frank will tell you more about how this place came to be. Once again, we're paying $31 per night. We've decided that this is the year of campground rate increases.
Hi Everyone,
We've been trying to let you know you can click on the photos we post to see them full size. However, the editing software won't let us republish our only post so far with pictures. So now you know. So there!
Today we'll be on the road to a little town called Mulberry Grove just east of St. Louis. We've been planning for about six hours travel time per day and always have a RV spot reserved when we leave the last one. Frank prefers to "fly by the seat of his pants," but he has been gracious enough to let me schedule us just a bit. I'm much more relaxed when I know where I'm going to land in the evening.
It's very, very hot and humid here in Topeka, Kansas. Deer Creek RV Park is only four years old and very CLEAN! In fact, there is so much cement here that it feels sterile. We're surrounded by woods because formerly this area was a corn field. It's a very nice place, but frankly, I prefer things to be a bit more "homey." Frank will tell you more about how this place came to be. Once again, we're paying $31 per night. We've decided that this is the year of campground rate increases.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
A few photos. Finally!
We stopped by a Radio Shack and I bought the cutest little photo card reader! It plugs directly into the USB port and works just fine. So here are a few photos.
Some days are diamonds . . .
Cheryl: some days are stone . . . like yesterday mushing across Texas and part of the Oklahoma panhandle to Kansas. We drove and drove and drove through endless grassy prarie dotted with corn, alfalfa, and wheat fields to get to Dodge City, Kansas. In our book, Dodge turned out to be a bust, and this morning we're ready to get the H... outta, well you get my drift. Can you say, "tourist trap?" Frank will post pictures, and you'll get the idea. We ate dinner at Matt's Steak House which turned out to be a "family" kinda place filled with, well kids and parents. My filet was excellent, but we both decided Matt's is the kind of place where they shovel food rather than serve it. Sigh. Sorry we don't have something more exciting to report, but at least today has started out cool and breezy. Walking the dogs quickly turned into pure pleasure looking out over the golds and greens of the Kansas landscape from high on a hill. It seems life's simple pleasures come along at just the right time to save us from our "great expectations" and remind us to savor just being alive and breathing. A cuppa tea outside at the picnic table under the trees sure made for a promising start to another day on the road.
Frank: The actual mileage from Tucumcari to Dodge City was 288 miles, not 188, so I'm really glad we stayed there instead of trying to get here from Gallup. The drive was a lot of long open miles like Chery said, but I liked it! I an constantly amazed by the amount of open space out here.
We stopped at in a little city park in Liberal, Kansas, made a nice lunch, walked the dogs, and sat under a big old shade tree. Small town America! It's great!
As we approached Dodge City I said to Cheryl, "We may have to stay over an extra day to be able to see it all," as I was expecting something like Tombstone only four or five times larger. Ha! My bad! "Dodge City" is a modern simulation of a reproduction of a fake, mock-up, theatrical set, of a stylized western "town" about the size of a small strip mall. Fifteen minutes and you've done it all. They wanted $10 a head to go into the "town" for a walk abound so we bought two sqished pennies and passed. I took a photo through the fence but I have to buy a cable for my camera to off-load it so I will try to do it later.
Catch you on the flip side,
Frankie, Cheryl Kay, Peanut and the Rapper
Frank: The actual mileage from Tucumcari to Dodge City was 288 miles, not 188, so I'm really glad we stayed there instead of trying to get here from Gallup. The drive was a lot of long open miles like Chery said, but I liked it! I an constantly amazed by the amount of open space out here.
We stopped at in a little city park in Liberal, Kansas, made a nice lunch, walked the dogs, and sat under a big old shade tree. Small town America! It's great!
As we approached Dodge City I said to Cheryl, "We may have to stay over an extra day to be able to see it all," as I was expecting something like Tombstone only four or five times larger. Ha! My bad! "Dodge City" is a modern simulation of a reproduction of a fake, mock-up, theatrical set, of a stylized western "town" about the size of a small strip mall. Fifteen minutes and you've done it all. They wanted $10 a head to go into the "town" for a walk abound so we bought two sqished pennies and passed. I took a photo through the fence but I have to buy a cable for my camera to off-load it so I will try to do it later.
Catch you on the flip side,
Frankie, Cheryl Kay, Peanut and the Rapper
Friday, July 8, 2011
Day 3 - Thursday Morning - Tucumcari, NM
Hello! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and all is right with the world!
Yeah, I got a reeeeeal good night's sleep last night and I feel . . . OK.
Cheryl just finished her 6-gallon shower and the water heater is doing its fast recovery bit, so I shall jump in there in just a moment and continue this metamophosis from grumpy old man to happy go lucky normal self.
So, here are a few odd thoughts I wrote the other day.
1. It’s a fact that when you transition into the nether world of RV’ing a new awareness suddenly manifests itself. You notice that RV’s are everywhere! Big un’s, little un’s, middle size un’s. Everything from huge 50’ long Class A’s towing full size cars to little pop-ups behind mini-cars. And usually there’s an older couple in the big un’ and a family of six in the little un’. My, ain’t life interesting.
2. RV camps are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. Half the time we use the Woodall’s RV Directory and read, select, and call ahead. Half the time we get on-line, find sites and read, select, and call ahead, and the other half the time we just see a little blue RV sign on the side of the road at the right time of the day and follow it to an unknown, take a chance municipal park. In all cases we have variously found ourselves in heaven, hell, and in between.
3. Two years ago in Sturgis a huge rain storm rolled in and I frantically fought to get the Norton into the trailer before the reported hail hit us. I dropped the ramp and gunned the bike hard and don’t’cha know I spun the rear tire and burned a black stripe into the spiffy plastic tiles I had so lovingly installed on the ramp. We finished that trip and the whole next trip to Canada with that black stripe p’ing me off every time I looked at it, which was basically all the time. So this year, just before we left I took the time to cut out the center 24” and installed a two foot wide strip of black, adhesive back non-slip tape. I even outlined it with aluminum edging and it looks real nice.
Our friend Suzanne sent this link to the Phoenix HABOOB: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEUyhLP3nyo&feature=share
You will have to cut and paste it. It's pretty amazing.
Frank & Cheryl
Peanut & Cleo
Yeah, I got a reeeeeal good night's sleep last night and I feel . . . OK.
Cheryl just finished her 6-gallon shower and the water heater is doing its fast recovery bit, so I shall jump in there in just a moment and continue this metamophosis from grumpy old man to happy go lucky normal self.
So, here are a few odd thoughts I wrote the other day.
1. It’s a fact that when you transition into the nether world of RV’ing a new awareness suddenly manifests itself. You notice that RV’s are everywhere! Big un’s, little un’s, middle size un’s. Everything from huge 50’ long Class A’s towing full size cars to little pop-ups behind mini-cars. And usually there’s an older couple in the big un’ and a family of six in the little un’. My, ain’t life interesting.
2. RV camps are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. Half the time we use the Woodall’s RV Directory and read, select, and call ahead. Half the time we get on-line, find sites and read, select, and call ahead, and the other half the time we just see a little blue RV sign on the side of the road at the right time of the day and follow it to an unknown, take a chance municipal park. In all cases we have variously found ourselves in heaven, hell, and in between.
3. Two years ago in Sturgis a huge rain storm rolled in and I frantically fought to get the Norton into the trailer before the reported hail hit us. I dropped the ramp and gunned the bike hard and don’t’cha know I spun the rear tire and burned a black stripe into the spiffy plastic tiles I had so lovingly installed on the ramp. We finished that trip and the whole next trip to Canada with that black stripe p’ing me off every time I looked at it, which was basically all the time. So this year, just before we left I took the time to cut out the center 24” and installed a two foot wide strip of black, adhesive back non-slip tape. I even outlined it with aluminum edging and it looks real nice.
Our friend Suzanne sent this link to the Phoenix HABOOB: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEUyhLP3nyo&feature=share
You will have to cut and paste it. It's pretty amazing.
Frank & Cheryl
Peanut & Cleo
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Day 2 - Crossing New Mexico
Frank: OK, you know how I said RV parks are like a box of chocolates? Well, think about that piece of candy you bit into and it tastes like chocolate-covered cow poop. The one you can’t spit out because there are too many people around you. That’s our RV park for tonight. Grim city. Hot. No trees. Dusty, another Woodall’s directory success story.
We stopped here because it’s another 180 miles to Dodge City, Kansas and that was just too much farther to go today.
That’s it. I’m tired. Here’s Cheryl.
Cheryl: Okay, so somebody I know is very tired and grumpy tonight. At least we have a cable TV hook up and a sketchy Wi Fi connection that may or may not allow us to post this blog tonight. I’m just glad we’ve come to ground and can watch the news and cozy up with our favorite DVDs we brought along. I wet the dogs down so they would cool off while the trailer cools off, and I’ve got a cold cloth on the back of my neck. Hey, life is good! Besides I just talked with daughter, Stacie, and it’s her 42nd birthday. Just thought I’d share that little tidbit with the world. She’s going out to dinner with the kids and having chocolate cupcakes later on to celebrate.
So far, my preplanning has worked out (if you overlook the “grim” campground that had a glowing description and is a Good Sam park). I had planned the first night for Gallup and as you heard, we scored big and the 2nd night for Tucumcari. After that my planning went wrong because I forgot we were avoiding Oklahoma due to the disaster we had two years ago when the huge trailer hitch we have actually got bent from the way Route 40 caused the trailer to porpoise and us to scream and yell. No more Oklahoma for us. We had a bit of a wavy, scary ride with proposing around Albuquerque today, but managed to survive with only a few things dislodged inside the trailer.
All in all there's not much to report about New Mexico. We're just glad to be moving on tomorrow morning. Catch you later.
Love and hugs,
The Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Ernie and Deputy Dawg
We stopped here because it’s another 180 miles to Dodge City, Kansas and that was just too much farther to go today.
That’s it. I’m tired. Here’s Cheryl.
Cheryl: Okay, so somebody I know is very tired and grumpy tonight. At least we have a cable TV hook up and a sketchy Wi Fi connection that may or may not allow us to post this blog tonight. I’m just glad we’ve come to ground and can watch the news and cozy up with our favorite DVDs we brought along. I wet the dogs down so they would cool off while the trailer cools off, and I’ve got a cold cloth on the back of my neck. Hey, life is good! Besides I just talked with daughter, Stacie, and it’s her 42nd birthday. Just thought I’d share that little tidbit with the world. She’s going out to dinner with the kids and having chocolate cupcakes later on to celebrate.
So far, my preplanning has worked out (if you overlook the “grim” campground that had a glowing description and is a Good Sam park). I had planned the first night for Gallup and as you heard, we scored big and the 2nd night for Tucumcari. After that my planning went wrong because I forgot we were avoiding Oklahoma due to the disaster we had two years ago when the huge trailer hitch we have actually got bent from the way Route 40 caused the trailer to porpoise and us to scream and yell. No more Oklahoma for us. We had a bit of a wavy, scary ride with proposing around Albuquerque today, but managed to survive with only a few things dislodged inside the trailer.
All in all there's not much to report about New Mexico. We're just glad to be moving on tomorrow morning. Catch you later.
Love and hugs,
The Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Ernie and Deputy Dawg
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Day 1 at Gallup, New Mexico
End of Day 1. We haven't killed each other yet . . . there's still time.
No wait, that was the first year! This our fourth year, and we're just fine.
We got out of Phoenix at exactly 11 o'clock, a little later than we planned, but we had last-minute things to be taken care of. Like cleaning the dust out of the pool after last night's HABOOB (to all you non-Arizonan's, that's a dust storm). It was the biggest dust storm Arizona has seen in years with a wall of dust moving up from Casa Grande that was 5,000 feet high and 60 miles wide. Yiikes! Our vehicles had to go to the car wash just so we could see out the windows. Then, of course, Frank had to spray off the pool filters because the pool looked like a mud hole.
We arrived in Gallup at 5:30 p.m., so we made good time, and it's been a good day. We topped it off with a great dinner here at USA RV Park in front of the outdoor stage. We polished off a cherry cobbler to the strains of Margaritaville strummed and sung by a guy from Tombstone, Arizona, believe it or not. Dinner was pulled pork sandwiches and chicken breasts beside ranch beans and cole slaw. The food was amazingly good! This place has a large heated pool, a small putting green beside a huge waterfall adorned with wood-cut bears. Someone has poured lots of cash into making it a true oasis in the desert. The $30 a night cost is a bit higher than the usual $20 to $25, but worth it.
The rock formations around here make a stunning backdrop for the wide-open landscape. We drove though Navajo country on the way and passed many hogans and trading posts including the emcampment of Chief Yellow Horse.
Cleo and Peanut have put on their travelin' clothes, and except for a few moments during an unexpected downpour that worried Cleo, they've enjoyed the day right along with us. They're lovin' all the new scents and sights along with the walks every time we stop.
We'll do some photos tomorrow, but right now there's tired all over us so we're gonna hit the hay.
Happy Trails!
Willie, Loretta, Waylon, and June
No wait, that was the first year! This our fourth year, and we're just fine.
We got out of Phoenix at exactly 11 o'clock, a little later than we planned, but we had last-minute things to be taken care of. Like cleaning the dust out of the pool after last night's HABOOB (to all you non-Arizonan's, that's a dust storm). It was the biggest dust storm Arizona has seen in years with a wall of dust moving up from Casa Grande that was 5,000 feet high and 60 miles wide. Yiikes! Our vehicles had to go to the car wash just so we could see out the windows. Then, of course, Frank had to spray off the pool filters because the pool looked like a mud hole.
We arrived in Gallup at 5:30 p.m., so we made good time, and it's been a good day. We topped it off with a great dinner here at USA RV Park in front of the outdoor stage. We polished off a cherry cobbler to the strains of Margaritaville strummed and sung by a guy from Tombstone, Arizona, believe it or not. Dinner was pulled pork sandwiches and chicken breasts beside ranch beans and cole slaw. The food was amazingly good! This place has a large heated pool, a small putting green beside a huge waterfall adorned with wood-cut bears. Someone has poured lots of cash into making it a true oasis in the desert. The $30 a night cost is a bit higher than the usual $20 to $25, but worth it.
The rock formations around here make a stunning backdrop for the wide-open landscape. We drove though Navajo country on the way and passed many hogans and trading posts including the emcampment of Chief Yellow Horse.
Cleo and Peanut have put on their travelin' clothes, and except for a few moments during an unexpected downpour that worried Cleo, they've enjoyed the day right along with us. They're lovin' all the new scents and sights along with the walks every time we stop.
We'll do some photos tomorrow, but right now there's tired all over us so we're gonna hit the hay.
Happy Trails!
Willie, Loretta, Waylon, and June
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